1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to suspended ceiling grid structures and, more particularly, to a grid structure with main runners incorporating spaced apart receiving apertures designated by a specified coding system. Associated cross runners engage specified apertures of the main runners and which correspond to a subset code of the coding system. Applying a coding scheme to the main runners ensures correct lineal footage along the main runners for accurate alignment of the cross runners.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Suspended structures for creating ceiling grids are fairly well known in the art, the concept behind such structures being to provide suspended support for ceiling tiles. The tiles are typically rectangular shaped and acoustically insulating in nature and function to recreate a uniform and xe2x80x9cdroppedxe2x80x9d ceiling appearance to an interior enclosure with an unfinished ceiling, such enclosures including commercial building interiors, as well as basement ceilings in residential dwellings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,802, issued to Vukmanic, discloses one known arrangement of suspended ceiling system and runner and which is characterized by each of the runners being composed of a first member and a cap member. The first member is bent to form an inverted T-bar configuration with a groove extending inwardly from the flange of the T and the cap member having the same configuration and being secured on the flange of the T-bar configuration to form a channel with flange portions on each side for supporting panels of the ceiling system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,350, also issued to Vukmanic, discloses a centering arrangement for T members of a suspended ceiling for holding a plurality of panels supported by the runners in a desired position on the flanges of the runners. The centering arrangement includes a bump extending from each side of a cross sectional web profile of the runner, the bump being formed in the web immediately adjacent a cut in the runner so that the drawing of the material into the bump will not draw material from the flange or adjacent thereto. The bump shape is preferably xe2x80x9chalf-moonxe2x80x9d or semi-circular in configuration and so that it provides a smooth camming surface for both lateral movement of the panel along the flange as well as vertical movement towards the flange.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,973, again issued to Vukmanic, teaches a suspended ceiling system again teaching main runners and cross runners which are inter-engageable to define a rectangular grid system. Suitably configured and elongated apertures are formed in the webbed profile of the main runners in axially spaced apart fashion and which receive an appropriately configured connecting end of selected cross runners and so that the cross runners are engaged to the main runner in mutually engaging fashion and on opposite sides thereof. Additional examples of suspended ceiling grid systems are illustrated by the likes of U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,239, issued to Sauer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,703, issued to Platt, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,246, issued to Ziegler.
The present invention is a marking system incorporated into a suspended grid structure supporting a plurality of ceiling tiles, the marking system ensuring proper alignment of cross runners with respect to parallel spaced apart main runners. Specifically, the marking system ensures that the cross runners are properly located before being engaged between the main runners at specified locations and over long running lengths of the main runners. Heretofore, a great shortcoming in the prior art has been the inability to correctly align cross runners with main grid structure runners over long extending lengths.
A first plurality of main runners are suspending from a ceiling by hanger wires and in parallel, spaced apart and elongated extending fashion. Each of the main runners defines, in cross section, a tile support lip and a web extending from the support lip. A plurality of elongated channels are formed through first and second opposite faces of the main runner web at axially spaced apart intervals and between a first end and a second end. The elongated channels each exhibit a unique configuration, such including an enlarged or diamond-like shape, the purpose for which will be subsequently described.
A second plurality of cross runners extend between the main runners at spaced increments and each also defines in cross section a tile support lip and a web extending in substantially perpendicular fashion from a midpoint of the support lip. First and second connector clips extend from associated first and second ends of each of the cross runners and engage, in laterally inserting fashion, through aligning channels defined in the main runners. In a preferred construction, the enlarged configuration of the channels permits opposing ends of first and second selected cross runners to be engaged with the main runner on opposite sides thereof. The connector clips may each firer include an outwardly flared tab portion, the purpose for which is to abut against an associated side edge of the elongated channel and to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the cross runner from the interengaged main runner.
A marking indicia is applied to selected channels of the main runners and identify proper location of the cross runners prior to engagement of the connector clips within the main runner channels. In one preferred variant, the marking indicia includes coding selected channels according to at least one color indicia, and preferably first, second, third and fourth color indicias. In a further application of this variant, the color indicias may be provided in the form of adhesively securable appliquxc3xa9s. It is also contemplated that the marking indicia may be provided upon both sides of the main runners in offsetting fashion and so that differing lineal standards may be employed on either side of the main runners.